Navy to let women serve on submarinesNavy's integration plan could have first female officers on board by 2011By William ColeAdvertiser Military Writer
The Navy is preparing to notify Congress of a change that would put women on some submarines for the first time - but not initially on the attack submarines that are based at Pearl Harbor.
The first female accessions into the submarine force could come as early as 2010, the Navy said. They would begin training for submarine duty, consisting of nuclear power school, prototype training and the submarine officer basic course.
Upon completion of the coursework, the first female officers could report to submarines in 2011.
"This is something (Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead) and I have been working on since I came into office," Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus said in a directive issued on the change. "We are moving out aggressively on this. I believe women should have every opportunity to serve at sea, and that includes aboard submarines."
The sea service said it envisions initially assigning female officers to larger ballistic missile and guided missile submarines because they have more available space for officer accommodations, would require less modification and would allow the Navy to move more quickly.
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